How many KPIs should you have?

The single most frequently asked question we get is ‘How many KPIs should I have’.

With process hats firmly in place, we obviously recommend that finding the right KPIs for your business is more important than the number; each process to define the right KPIs to meet business goals is unique for each company and the actual numbers can vary.

However true this is - it’s not really the answer people want to hear, they want something tangible, a starting point to begin the process, a number to focus the ‘KPI storming’ meeting capable of churning out countless KPIs.

So we set a challenge to once and for all pin our colours firmly to a number.

Equipped with lots and lots of KPI data, client feedback, numerous practical examples and our best number crunchers; We sliced diced, analysed and theorised whilst gorging on copious amounts of cookies – and came up with the magical number of 7 (Or less).

It seems that for all processes, the ‘KPI storming’, the data, and the theory, the most practical memorable and manageable amount of KPIs per user is a magical 7.

by Stuart Kinsey

Stuart Kinsey writes on Key Performance Indicators, Dashboards, Marketing, and Business Strategy. He is a co-founder of SimpleKPI and has worked in creative and analytical services for over 25 years. He believes embracing KPIs and visualizing performance is essential for any organization to strive and grow.